Help With Hero Lab And Equipping A Magic Item

[wolfear]

Hi, I'm pretty new to this and still trying to figure some things out. I want to buy Bracers of Armor +1 for my character, and I was able to find it on the magic tab. According to the description on the magic tab I should have an extra +1 bonus to my AC when I equip them. The problem I'm having is I can't figure out how to equip them. They are there on the magic tab, but I don't know what to do next.

Can anyone tell me what I should do to get that +1 AC to show up on the character sheet?

[Joana]

Click the checkbox next to the item to show it's equipped.

[wolfear]

Joana wrote:

Click the checkbox next to the item to show it's equipped.

The only check box next to it is wondrous item. I tried clicking that and it doesn't do anything. The bracers are not showing up in the armor tab either.

[Joana]

That's the right box. Check it and look at your AC in the Basics column (below hit points and encumbrance and above Initiative); it should change when you check and uncheck it. It doesn't show up in the armor tab because only actual armor and shields show up there.

[Joana]

Is your PC already wearing armor of some kind? Because the armor bonus from bracers doesn't stack with the armor bonus from armor. You'd have to get a ring of protection or amulet of natural armor for that. Bonuses of the same type don't stack.

[wolfear]

Joana wrote:

That's the right box. Check it and look at your AC in the Basics column (below hit points and encumbrance and above Initiative); it should change when you check and uncheck it. It doesn't show up in the armor tab because only actual armor and shields show up there.

AC before checking wondrous item is 19. AC after checking wondrous item is 19. When I check that box it doesn't change anything.

[ZanThrax]

What bonuses do you have to AC that are giving you that AC 19? If any other source is already giving you an armor bonus then the bracers won't do anything.

[wolfear]

ZanThrax wrote:

What bonuses do you have to AC that are giving you that AC 19? If any other source is already giving you an armor bonus then the bracers won't do anything.

Mithral Buckler and Studded Leather Armor.

I tried unequipping the buckler and my AC went down to 18. I checked the box next to wondrous item for the bracers, and the AC was still 18. It doesn't seem to be the buckler thats stopping it.

[Joana]

It's the armor. Studded leather gives you a +3 armor bonus, so the +2 from the bracers doesn't stack. You can't wear bracers with armor; you only get the higher bonus. (The buckler gives you a shield bonus, which is different and does stack with armor or bracers.)

Like I said, to stack with armor, you need a ring (deflection bonus) or amulet (natural armor bonus).

[wolfear]

Joana wrote:

It's the armor. Studded leather gives you a +3 armor bonus, so the +2 from the bracers doesn't stack. You can't wear bracers with armor; you only get the higher bonus. (The buckler gives you a shield bonus, which is different and does stack with armor or bracers.)

Like I said, to stack with armor, you need a ring (deflection bonus) or amulet (natural armor bonus).

nailed it! Thank you.

[ZanThrax]

It's the studded leather armor. Studded leather armor, like all armor, gives an armor bonus to AC. Bracers of armor also give an armor bonus to AC. For each type of bonus (except Dodge bonuses), you only get the highest one; they do not stack.

Bracers of Armor are for characters who don't wear armor for whatever reason. If you want to get more AC for an armor-wearing character, you need to look at a ring of protection (a deflection bonus), an amulet of natural armor (a bonus to your natural armor bonus - which for most character is 0), or a stat-boosting item to increase your Dexterity.

[WaterDragon]

I am trying to get my Wizard to equip a Mithral Buckler and cannot do it in Hero lab. Please help. Any pointer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.